Here is today's summary of economic development news, a free service of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, representing Alabama's private sector investment in economic development. If you enjoy NewsFlash, thank an
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HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -
Blue Origin, the spaceflight company started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced today that it will manufacture its BE-4 engine in a state-of-the art production facility to be built in Alabama's Rocket City.

The new facility will be in Cummings Research Park, the nation's second-largest research park, and construction can begin once an engine production contract with
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is awarded.

The BE-4 is America's next rocket engine and will power ULA's Vulcan rocket, if it's selected for the project. The production of this engine would end the nation's dependence on Russia for access to space for critical national security space systems.

Two massive new container cranes arrived in Mobile on Saturday afternoon, completing a two-month voyage from China.

When installed, they'll increase capacity at the APM Terminals facility enough to allow the current growth trend to continue for years.

As The Alabama State Port Authority prepared to welcome two colossal new cranes on Saturday, some of the ones already in place, such as these at the steel shipping terminal on Pinto Island, across the Mobile River from downtown Mobile, went about their work.

Austal Inc. has announced that it has received a half-billion-dollar contract to build its 14
th Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the U.S. Navy.

The move helps guarantee that Austal's shipyard in Mobile will stay busy for at least the next four years. In December, the company delivered LCS 10, the Gabrielle Giffords, to the Navy. In May LCS 12, the future USS Omaha, completed acceptance trials.

The presentation dazzled with possibilities, an endless array of what-ifs and proposals that would reshape and revitalize downtown Huntsville without the restraints of real-life headaches such as money and growing pains.

In that way, the unveiling of a wide-ranging proposal to the city council and the public last week for a downtown master plan was the fun part.

Imagine, for instance, a stream of bike paths throughout downtown. Or the parking garage at Von Braun Center reconfigured to be fronted by restaurants and retail outlets. Or new developments that would help frame Big Spring Park.